1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system for reducing tires to small particulate material and, more particularly, to an apparatus for reducing tires using a shear technique.
2. Description of Related Art
Tires are typically made of rubber or rubber-like material, and when the tire tread is worn, or when the tire has sustained some damage, requiring a discarding of the tire, a serious problem arises as to proper disposal. Millions of tires are discarded annually and because of their bulk and lengthy life, even under extreme weather or burial conditions, they create an unsightly and massive eye-sore, and a need for extremely large storage areas. On some occasions, the collection of tires will catch on fire and burn for many months or even longer, further contributing to environmental concerns.
Tire components (rubber, rubber-like substances, reinforcing fiber, steel wire, etc.) have been engineered to exhibit durability and longevity in extremely hostile environments, such as severe temperature changes, exposure to salt and other corrosive chemicals, continuous flexure, abrasion and ablation, UV exposure, countless cycles of wetting and drying, and the like. The very factors that have created reliable and tough tires have, ironically, mitigated against any easy method for disposing of worn or damaged tires.
Many attempts have been made to solve this problem, including the use of shredders, cutters, etc., but none of these prior art devices have proven satisfactory for a number of reasons. These include the large required size of the apparatus, the power requirements, and the inability to economically and reliably produce small particulate fragments at a reasonable cost. Typical prior art apparatus generates a great amount of heat, creating the hazard of potential dust explosion and requiring cooling measures such as liquid spray heads to remove the heat and prevent fire or explosion. The introduced liquid then presents a further material handling problem for the resulting slurry.